PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: Quincy McKnight, SHU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Jashaun Agosto, LIU
Previous NEC Releases: November 14 | Preseason Poll Release | Preseason All-NEC Release | NEC-TV Release
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Quincy McKnight, Sacred Heart
6’3”, 180 lbs.
So, G, Bridgeport, CT/St. Joseph’s (Phelps)
Coming off an NEC All-Rookie campaign, McKnight is off to a terrific start in his sophomore season for the Pioneers The Bridgeport, NJ native averaged 25.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and shot 57.6 percent from the field and a perfect 11-11 from the stripe as SHU split a pair of games. He exploded for a career-high 28 points as the Pioneers rallied from seven down in the final 75 seconds to knock off Hofstra, 90-86, in SHU’s home opener on Tuesday. McKnight’s four free throws in the final five seconds sealed the game. Three days later, he played at an elite level against #10 Arizona, scoring a game-high 22 points on 8-13 shooting. McKnight currently leads the NEC with 25.0 ppg. He has yet to miss a free throw in 17 attempts and has drained 54.9 percent of his shots from the floor.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jashaun Agosto, LIU Brooklyn
5’11”, 150 lbs.
Fr., G, Seattle, WA/Garfield
Agosto has already emerged as a go-to point producer for the Blackbirds, who come off a 2-1 week with wins over Loyola (MD) and Northeastern. The Seattle, WA product averaged 15.7 points and hit 6-10 shots from outside the arc. He also contributed 2.3 rpg and 2.3 apg for LIU Brooklyn, which is off to a 3-1 start. Agosto scored 12 points in the 65-61 victory over Loyola on Wednesday, then exploded for 18 of his season-best 20 points in the second half as the Blackbirds rallied from 12 down to upend Northeastern on Saturday. He hit three straight three-pointers to kick start the comeback and converted a conventional three-point play with 39 seconds on the clock to give LIU a four-point edge. Agosto finished his week with a team-high 15 points against Boston U on Sunday. He ranks third among NEC freshmen with 12.5 ppg.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Adam Grant (BRY, Fr, F)
Grant averaged 16.5 points on a scorching 57.0 percent shooting from the floor and 54.5 percent clip from downtown last week. He finished with 17 points at #14 Gonzaga on Friday, hitting 4-7 from outside the arc. Grant leads all NEC rookies with 15.3 ppg.
Mike Holloway (FDU, So, F)
The Knights’ burly big man shot a robust 67.4 percent from the floor and averaged 18.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg in a busy four-game week for the Knights. Holloway put up 22 points in a 90-72 win over Lipscomb on Saturday.
Stephan Jiggetts (FDU, So, F)
Jiggetts posted the NEC’s first triple-double in more than six years in FDU’s 90-72 victory overt Lipscomb on Saturday. He finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Chris Wray (MSM, Jr, F)
Wray comes off the game of his life on Friday at George Mason. Wray set new career-highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and drove in for the game-winning dunk with 1.3 seconds left to play in overtime in the Mount’s 78-76 win.
Josh Nebo (SFU, So, F)
Springy sophomore forward averaged 14.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg and shot 75.0 percent from the field last week. He posted a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds at Duquesne on Wednesday. With 63 career blocks, he is now eighth all-time at SFU.
Jo Jo Cooper (WC, Jr, G)
Cooper nearly pulled off a triple-double in Wagner’s home opener against Fairfield on Saturday, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Over the last two games, he is averaging 13.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 6.0 apg and 2.0 spg.
FDU’S JIGGETTS POSTS RARE TRIPLE-DOUBLE
With NBA players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Draymond Green routinely posting triple-doubles, maybe Fairleigh Dickinson junior guard Stephan Jiggetts (Forestville, MD/Bishop McNamara) figured it was time to get in on all the fun.
In the Knights’ 90-72 win over Lipscomb on Saturday as part of the Johnny Bach Classic, Jiggetts excelled in all facets of the game, recording the NEC’s first triple-double in over six years with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
To say FDU head coach Greg Herenda was impressed would be an understatement.
“That was the Stephan Jiggetts we need him to be,” said Herenda. “He worked so hard this summer and he got what he deserved with his triple-double. That was an incredible performance.”
To put Jiggetts’ performance in perspective, there have been just eight triple-doubles recorded by NEC players over the last 20 years.
Most Recent NEC Triple-Doubles
Stephan Jiggetts, FDU (11/19/16): 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Lipscomb
James Feldeine, QU (2/25/10): 19 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Monmouth
Tony Lee, RMU (2/14/08): 12 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists vs. CCSU
Tony Lee, RMU (2/9/08): 13 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists vs. LIU
John Bunch, MU (2/3/07): 11 points, 11 rebounds, 10 blocks vs. SFNY
Kason Mims, QU (3/1/04): 18 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists vs. LIU
Nate Pondexter, QU (1/16/99): 14 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists vs. RMU
Rahshon Turner, FDU (11/22/97): 13 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocks vs. Hartford
The most notable part of that list is Tony Lee’s triple-doubles for Robert Morris in 2008 as they came in back-to-back games. He remains one of just six player in NCAA history to record back-to-back triple doubles, joining LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal (Feb. 19-22, 1992), Memphis’ Penny Hardaway (Jan. 4-6, 1993), Vermont’s Kevin Roberson (Jan. 7-9, 1992), SMU’s Gerald Lewis (March 3-6, 1993) and Texas A&M’s David Edwards (Mar. 5-10, 1994).
WE’RE #1!
With NCAA Division I student-athletes graduating at their highest-ever rates, the Northeast Conference (NEC) ranked among the best in the nation in Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures released this week by the NCAA.
According to NCAA data based on student-athletes who entered college in 2009 and graduated within six years, NEC student-athletes graduated at an 89 percent rate, seventh-best of the 31 NCAA Division I conferences that were tracked. This mark was well ahead of the 86 percent GSR for all Division I student-athletes, tying last year’s all-time highest rate.
Most notably, NEC’s men’s basketball student-athletes compiled a 95 percent GSR, the top mark in the nation. The national average for men’s hoops was 80 percent, an all-time high for the association.
HOEHN’S HEROICS HEADLINE HOFSTRA HEARTSTOPPER
With the game slipping away on Tuesday, Sacred Heart sophomore guard Sean Hoehn (Morristown, NJ/Morristown (St. Thomas More)) decided to take matters into his own hands against defending CAA regular season champion Hofstra.
Down 85-78, the Morristown, NJ native drained a three-pointer in transition with 1:15 to play to give the Pioneers life. Following a Hofstra turnover, classmate Quincy McKnight (Bridgeport, CT/St. Joseph’s (Phelps)) spotted Hoehn in the corner for another three to slice the lead to 85-84 with 34 seconds to go.
Following a time out, the Pioneers trapped the Pride’s Brian Bernardi just inside the halfcourt line and it was Hoehn that came up with the steal. He attacked the rim and was fouled with 24 ticks on the clock. Hoehn calmly sank both free throws to give SHU the lead for good. After a missed Hofstra jumper, McKnight iced the game with four free throws and the Pioneers claimed a hard-fought home victory.
McKnight, the NEC Player of the Week, set a new career-high with 28 points on 11-20 shooting from the field, and added four rebounds and four assists. He averaged 25.0 ppg on the week and leads the NEC with 25.0 ppg on the season.
Hoehn, who finished with three steals, added 12 for the Pioneers.
WRAY’S FANTASTIC FINISH
Talk about finishing off a game in style.
With Mount St. Mary’s and George Mason going toe-to-toe in overtime on Friday, it all came down one Mount possession with 3.7 seconds to play and the score tied at 76. The Mount inbounded the ball to junior forward Chris Wray (Shelby, NC/Fishburne Military Academy) outside the three-point arc on the left wing. Without hesitating, the 6’8” forward put the ball on the floor going to his left and with just two driblles soared to the hoop, throwing it down with two hands with 1.3 seconds left to play.
WATCH: https://www.instagram.com/p/BM_7ozAgzTB/
Wray finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds - both career-highs - and shot 10-13 from the floor in the road win.
FRESHMAN FOCUS: LIU’ JASHAUN AGOSTO
LIU Brooklyn freshman Jashaun Agosto (Seattle, WA/Garfield), the NEC Rookie of the Week, scored 18 of his career-best 20 points in the second half to spark a comeback from 12 down to beat Northeastern, 78-74, on Saturday. Agosto hit three straight trifectas at the start of the second stanza to cut the deficit in half, then closed out the Huskies with a three-point play conventional style with 39 seconds on the clock.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? SHU’S SHANE GIBSON
With a number of professional league seasons in full swing overseas, here is the first on a series of weekly updates on former #NECMBB stars and their current whereabouts.
Shane Gibson, SHU (2008-13)
With one of the NEC’s all-time smoothest strokes, Gibson wrapped up his Sacred Heart career as the league’s sixth all-time leading scorer with 2,079 career points. He was a two-time first team All-NEC pick and three-time all-star over the course of his career.
As clutch as they come, here is a look at a Gibson game-winner against CCSU on January 21, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkyeBhos6_s
Gibson played in the NBA D-League in 2014-15 for the Idaho Stampede and competed in the D-League three-point shootout during NBA All-Star weekend at the Barclays Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVuXp9icr5w
He ranked fourth in the D-League that year with 128 trifectas. In 2015-16, he competed briefly in Italy before finishing up the year in Canada playing for the Halifax Hurricanes. Gibson averaged 16.4 ppg and made 174 three-pointers as Halifax won the NBL title.
This year, Gibson has settled in with BC Beroe in Bulgaria where leads the club in scoring with 20.0 ppg. In his best game of the year, he poured in 33 points, including 8-13 from distance in an 86-80 win over KK Kozov Gevgelija on October 18.
For more on Gibson, check out this 2015 documentary produced by students at Killingly High School, where Gibson attended from 2004-08.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR8sBIAhWJ8
STAT OF THE WEEK
Of the NEC’s top-10 scorers thus far in 2016-17, seven are underclassmen. Likewise, 13 of the top-20 are freshman or sophomores.
SCORING
## Player-Team G FG 3FG FT Pts Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------
1.MCKNIGHT, Quincy-SHU..... 3 28 2 17 75 25.0
2.ANDERSON, Darian-FDU..... 5 35 15 11 96 19.2
3.ZOUZOUA, Nisre-BRY....... 3 19 7 9 54 18.0
4.STILL, Isaiah-RMU........ 4 23 10 13 69 17.3
5.HOLLOWAY, Mike-FDU....... 5 33 0 15 81 16.2
6.GRANT, Adam-BRY.......... 3 16 9 5 46 15.3
7.FRINK, Jerome-LIU........ 4 20 3 15 58 14.5
8.LONG, Elijah-MSM......... 4 19 2 15 55 13.8
9.NEBO, Josh-SFU........... 3 14 0 12 40 13.3
10.CAREY, Michael-WC........ 3 15 4 5 39 13.0
JONES, Mustafa-CCSU...... 3 17 0 5 39 13.0
12.TOWNES, Sabastian-BRY.... 3 13 0 12 38 12.7
NEHLS, Austin-CCSU....... 3 11 7 9 38 12.7
14.AGOSTO, Jashaun-LIU...... 4 16 6 12 50 12.5
15.LOPEZ, Joseph-SHU........ 3 14 0 9 37 12.3
16.ANGELOU, Georgios-SFU.... 3 11 10 4 36 12.0
SANABRIA, GLENN-SFBK..... 2 8 4 4 24 12.0
18.JIGGETS, Stephan-FDU..... 5 17 9 12 55 11.0
KING, Jamaal-SFU......... 3 11 6 5 33 11.0
BLACKMON, Isaiah-SFU..... 3 13 5 2 33 11.0
QUICK HITTERS
CCSU sophomore guard Eric Bowles (Fairfax, VA/WT Woodson) has compiled 14 assists and just one turnover over his first three games of the season.
Bryant sophomore guard Nisre Zouzoua (Brockton, MA/Boston Trinity) has picked up right where he left off last season when he emerged as the NEC’s top-scoring freshman. He poured in 22 at #14 Gonzaga on Friday and hit 5-10 shots from outside the arc on the week.
CCSU senior forward Tafari Whittingham (Brooklyn, NY/Lincoln (South Alabama)) netted a career-high 15 points on 6-10 shooting at Binghamton on Wednesday. He added two blocked shots and has six through three games.
Robert Morris sophomore guard Isaiah Still (Rahway, NJ/Union Catholic) led all scorers with 20 points and hit 3-5 from long range at Richmond on Sunday. He paces the Colonials with 17.3 ppg.
Saint Francis U currently has six players averaging in double-digits.
Over the last two games, Wagner senior guard Michael Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Lamar Consolidated) has averaged a double-double with 16.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg.
Wagner, which led the NEC in rebound margin in last year, sports a +10.7 rebounding edge over its first three games to lead the league.
TWEET DECK
Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT: Quincy McKnight looks like a top 5 #NECMBB player so far. Averaging 26.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2 spg in 2 games.
Nelson Castillo @NelCastBHJ
Mount wins 78-76 in overtime. The Wray dunk the game winner. Crazy game. Mount gets win #1 of the season. #NECMBB
Ryan Peters @pioneer_pride
That was a very good, come-from-behind victory by Sacred Heart after KenPom pegged Hofstra as a 10-point favorite. Thrilling!
Nelson Castillo @NelCastBHJ
Jashaun Agosto is looking like he is starting to cement his starting spot in the LIU lineup. Kid has play great, esp last two games.
Ryan Raffensperger @TheMountFanBlog
Chris Wray was huge tonight - the double double and the Dunk to win it. #Hedunksoneveryone #MountMayhem